Germany · High-speed
The ICE Sprinter joins Berlin Hauptbahnhof and München Hauptbahnhof with only a handful of stops, using the new-build line through the Thuringian Forest that opened in December 2017.
Berlin → Munich
High-speed
Why this connection
The line that makes this possible is one of the largest railway engineering projects in modern Europe: to get through the Thuringian Forest it uses a chain of long tunnels and high viaducts, and the train spends a remarkable amount of the run either underground or in the air.
In motion
Either side of that, you get the flat Brandenburg countryside in the north and Franconia and Bavaria in the south.
The corridor
It is the everyday German intercity experience at its best; punctual enough to plan around, quiet, and with a dining car that is a real one.
The published route runs from Berlin to Munich via Erfurt Hauptbahnhof, Nürnberg Hauptbahnhof.
Key stops
Berlin HauptbahnhofErfurt HauptbahnhofNürnberg HauptbahnhofMünchen Hauptbahnhof
Berlin Hauptbahnhof
Germany
Erfurt Hauptbahnhof
Germany
Nürnberg Hauptbahnhof
Germany
München Hauptbahnhof
Germany
High-speed / intercity
01
The ICE Sprinter joins Berlin Hauptbahnhof and München Hauptbahnhof with only a handful of stops, using the new-build line through the Thuringian Forest that opened in December 2017. Deutsche Bahn markets the service as taking under four hours city centre to city centre, running at up to 300 km/h on the new sections, with intermediate calls at Erfurt and Nuremberg.
02
Berlin Hauptbahnhof to München Hauptbahnhof via Erfurt Hauptbahnhof, Nürnberg Hauptbahnhof
03
Reservation: recommended. Direct online booking is recorded. A rail pass is accepted under the recorded booking profile. Pricing is recorded as dynamic. Tickets are cheapest as advance Sparpreis fares; seat reservation is optional but sensible on Sprinter services.
Verified 2026-09-28
Plan the ride
Use the verified journey, booking, season and onboard facts below to decide how to take this experience. Unknowns stay explicit.
This guide does not imply a product variant unless a separate comparison decision is published.
Evidence on demand
Route, onboard, season, fit and booking detail remain available without interrupting the journey above. Unknowns stay visible.
3h 55m
The published route runs from Berlin to Munich via Erfurt Hauptbahnhof, Nürnberg Hauptbahnhof.
Key stops
Berlin HauptbahnhofErfurt HauptbahnhofNürnberg HauptbahnhofMünchen Hauptbahnhof
Berlin Hauptbahnhof
Germany
Erfurt Hauptbahnhof
Germany
Nürnberg Hauptbahnhof
Germany
München Hauptbahnhof
Germany
Jan: Scheduled year-round as a regular timetabled service.
These months show when the train runs, which is a service fact. How good each month is for the experience has not been rated yet, so no month is presented as better than another.
Rail enthusiasts
Especially good
The train and the line itself are a large part of the reason to travel.
First-time rail travellers
Good fit
Frequent, easy to book and a straightforward first rail journey in the country.
Food & wine travellers
Good fit
Eating on board is a genuine part of the experience.
Families
Good fit
Short enough, frequent enough or engaging enough to work with children.
No verified trade-offs on record. That is an absence of evidence, not a promise that there are none.
Our current editorial assessment, for comparing journeys, a considered judgement, not a measurement.
More subjective
Not rated yet: value for money, seat quality, onboard service, slow travel quality, romance, remoteness.
Step-free access and assistance are set out with the practical detail further down rather than reduced to a score.
Prices quoted Deutsche Bahn sells advance saver fares alongside a flexible full fare, so the price depends on how far ahead you book.
This is the operator's own reservation entry point. Fares and availability are confirmed there, not here. Journey length: 3h 55m. Checked 27 Oct 2026 · Deutsche Bahn · ICE Sprinter.
The detailed source record remains at the end of this guide. Review the evidence.
Your next step
Tickets are cheapest as advance Sparpreis fares; seat reservation is optional but sensible on Sprinter services.
Check availability with Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)This is the operator's own reservation entry point. Fares and availability are confirmed there, not here.
Far by Rail is a discovery guide, not a live timetable or booking service. Confirm times, fares and availability with the operator.
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Journey information is reviewed against published material and maintained as sources change.
Last reviewed 27 Oct 2026.
Official sources
Checked 27 Oct 2026